The Way to a Man's Heart
by k lynn
Summary: Bradley, in hopes of impressing Colin after a long day of filming, decides to cook for Colin. But Colin, who doesn't eat meat, dairy, or tomatoes, is quite difficult for Bradley to cook for. Join him as he explores vegean cuisine.


Bradley sighed as he watched Colin walk away to go finish his filming. Filming with Eoin none the less; no Bradley was not jealous, he didn't care what Katie said. It was just that he didn't quite trust Eoin around Colin. It wasn't that he thought he was up to no good or anything; it was something about the longing way he looked at the other man. It was apparent that Eoin had feelings for Colin, but Colin was Bradley's, even if Colin didn't know it. And so Bradley contented him self with staring after the thin frame of Colin as he walked away, admiring how he looked in his Merlin costume, ridiculous scarf and all.

"Someone has it ba-ad" Katie sing-songed as she walked up behind him "Ask him out already, you're becoming ridiculous"

"I honestly don't think he would say no Bradley" Angel added, still dressed as Gwen the queen; she looked beautiful Bradley had to admit. She went on in a more teasing voice "But you better do it before Eoin does, even though I really don't think he has feelings for Colin."

"Really _Angel, _have you not seen the doe eyes he makes at him?" And loathe as he was to admit it, the idea of Eoin and Colin together made his skin crawl. Colin should be his and no one else's, but how to get him, that was the problem. Bradley, like his character Arthur, was not good at doing feelings. He could show that he cared but talking about it was just not on. So Colin would not be getting any odes or epic poems from him. No, he needed to come up with another way to show the other boy he cares.

He pondered this as he walked to get lunch, tuning out Katie and Angel as they chatted about girly things. The meals they were given were always enjoyable, and as he eyed the plate set aside for Colin he was granted an epiphany. What was that old adage, the way to a man's heart was through his stomach? Surly that even had to apply to lactose intolerant vegetarians who were allergic to tomatoes? He would do it; he would surprise Colin with an intimate romantic dinner. Bradley was determined to make this the best meal of Colin's life.

"I'm going to cook for him" he announced to the girls as they sat down with their food.

"I'm sorry what?" Katie asked, shocked at his outburst. "You're going to do what?"

"Cook for him Katie, don't you listen?"

"Bradley, I don't want you to take offence, but do you even know how to cook." This came from Angel accompanied by an apologetic look.

"Of course I can cook!" slightly offended Bradley continued "You don't think I keep this physic by eating take out every day do you?"

"I thought it was the strenuous exercise regime they have you on" Katie chimed in. "What do you think you're going to cook for him?"

"I have to admit, the thought is rather sweet." Angel added with a small smile.

"Well thank you Angel, but don't go telling people about this please, I have reputation to uphold. As for what I'm going to cook for him, I have no idea, yet."

Bradley was slowly loosing his patience. How do you make a decent meal for a lactose intolerant vegetarian who is allergic to tomatoes? He browsed the internet, finding one great recipe after another, but always finding something wrong with it. Stuffed tomatoes were out. Creamy vegetable soup as well; does everything need milk? Traditional pasta was out too. This led him to the bookstore, browsing the vegetarian and vegan cookbooks. It was true he had his doubt about the taste and appeal of vegetarian cuisine, but the pictures made the meals look very appetizing. After picking out three of the cookbooks Bradley rushed home to start digging though them. He decided he would first try a cauliflower curry, it looked easy enough. He would have to try it out on someone first, just to make sure it was good enough. Enter Katie and Angel.

"I can't believe your actually doing this." Angel exclaimed entering his flat.

"Yes what a sap you've become" Katie said before sitting down at the table, offering the bottle of wine she had promised for the meal.

"Well, here we are ladies, cauliflower curry ala Bradley." He excitedly set down the plates in front of them.

"Um, Bradley" Katie began. "Are you sure this is right, it doesn't really look like a curry."

"No offence but she's right" Angel added "it looks like cauliflower covered in spices. Curry is supposed to have a sauce."

"Look I followed the recipe so just try it" Bradley demanded before adding a hurried "Please"

The girls looked at each other dubiously; it didn't look very appetizing, but it smelled good and therefore deserved a chance. Angel and Katie picked up their forks and slowly raised a piece of the cauliflower to there mouths Bradley did the same. At the same time they took a bite chewing slowly matching expressions of revulsion on their faces.

"Oh god" Angel cried after swallowing "I'm sorry Bradley but this is horrible"

"Where did you get this recipe? Who actually eats this stiff?" Katie exclaimed in surprise.

Angel placed her hand on Bradley's shoulder, looking at his downtrodden face with concern. Trying to encourage her friend not to give up she said "It's true the recipe is horrible, but it is just the one recipe, surely there are loads of other recipes you could try."

"Yeah" Bradley said quietly not looking up from the table. It was apparent that he had worked hard on the meal. "Let's just go out somewhere ok? Or you can go and I'll order in"

"Lets go out, I'll even call up Colin and see if he wants to come." Katie said.

"Yeah, sure, I'll just clean this up a little." Bradley sighed pushing the inedible food into the bin.

They met up at one of the little cafés that Colin frequented. Bradley's mood was immediately lifted as the other man walked in, all check bones and sunny smiles. They sat, ate and chatted; enjoying their food before retiring to Colin's flat for a movie and butter less popcorn. The girls sprawled on the couch as Bradley took the overstuffed chair. He was happy so see Colin sit on the floor next to him, close to but not touching his leg. The popcorn was handed out and the movie began, it was one they had all seen before so they spent the time poking fun at the plot holes and commenting on the dialogue. The night, Bradley mused, was not quite the loss he had convinced himself it was as he laughed at one of Colin's jokes.

A few days later he headed out to the grocery store to make his second attempt. He looked uncertainly at the list, some of the ingredients he had never even heard of. What the hell was couscous anyway, would he even be able to find it? Scallions, he had never heard of either. Hell he still wasn't sure how to pronounce cumin properly. He did end up finding everything he needed, with the help of a rather put upon sales clerk. He began to make the recipe in earnest as soon as he got home, determined to make this the best dinner ever. However he quickly found things would not go exactly to plan. He cut himself rather badly while chopping the vegetables and burned him self twice. Once when the oil he was sautéing the vegetables in got to hot and started popping at him. The second happened when he moved the vegetables form the pan he sated them in into the larger pot with the couscous. Now he had a nice long red burn on his arm, the producers were not going to be happy with him. Finally everything was mixed together and he could leave the dish to cook.

"Bradley is something burning?" Was the first thing Katie asked upon entering his flat.

"What?" Bradley asked sniffing the air "Shit the couscous!"

When he lifted the lit to the pot he was greeted with a billow of black smoke. He realized then that he had forgotten to turn down the heat after the he added the vegetable to the couscous. Little of the meal was salvageable, including the pot, which was now filled with a burnt black mess.

"Shit" the thing Bradley could think to say. "Well ladies where would you like to eat tonight?"

The two girls in question shared surprised looks behind Bradley's back. Taking in his slumped shoulders Angel put her arms around him telling him it would be alright and how did pizza sound. Bradley dropped the pot in the dumpster as they walked to his car, the bottom was completely burnt. It was agreed amongst the three of them that he would have to buy a new one.

His next attempt was a vegetarian soup, leaving out the tomato paste the recipe called for. It seamed to take ages to chop all of the vegetables, but the soup itself was fairly easy to make. Again he invited Katie and Angle to taste test, and they arrived with a bottle of wine in toe. He ladled the soup up, placing a bowl in font of each of them. A platter of crusty bread sat in the middle of the table. The girls ate quietly for a time while Bradley wondered how it had all gone wrong, again.

"Don't get me wrong Bradley." Angel began softly "Its ok, definitely not the disaster the curry was, but it's just so bland."

"Hardly any taste at all" Katie commented sadly. "The bread is the most exciting part and you didn't even set out butter."

Bradley sighed dipping his spoon into the soup, bringing it to his mouth again. It was true the soup was almost tasteless, water with a hint of vegetable broth. He didn't understand, he was a good cook, he really was. He could grill a steak like nobodies business and his chicken quesadillas with homemade salsa were the talk of the family get-togethers. But that was meat; he could deal with meat, a potato every now and then, and vegetables on the grill sometimes. But when faced with nothing but vegetables and spices he had barley ever heard of? He and was completely lost. He sighed, taking another spoonful but let it dribble back into the bowl, it was edible at least, unlike the curry. The girls were nice enough to finish their bowls, but didn't ask for more. They opted to take a few more slices of bread instead, sipping at their wine all the while.

"Well 0-3, but forth times the charm?" Angel said encouragingly.

"Don't look so down trodden Bradley" Katie added "this is way better than the curry and that one couscous dish; and if your next meal is as improved as this one is form the last, it stands to reason that it might be the one."

"Thanks" Bradley sighed, so soup was out, but with the encouragement from the girls he was already starting to plan his next round remembering a recipe he had found in one of the books.

The next few recipes, while not epic fails, were not complete successes either. They were good, but not good enough, leavening the diner under whelmed at best. Back to the book store Bradley went, looking at more recipe books. One particular book, 1000 vegan recipes, caught his eye. Picking it up to flip though he found a recipe that he thought would be perfect, already thinking of pairing it with a recipe he had found online.

On another trip to the grocery store, the organic one Colin liked, he quickly found everything he needed. Calling up Katie and Angle to let them know what time to come over he began working on his meal with the overwhelming feeling that this was going to be the one, the perfect dinner. The meal would consist of quinoa and pinto bean-stuffed bell peppers with a side salad of romaine lettuce topped with mandarin oranges, almonds, and raspberry vinaigrette. Desert would be an apple sweet potato gratin with soy ice cream.

Katie and Angel arrived with two bottles of wine, one for dinner, another for comfort after. They smiled and sat down politely waiting for the next of Bradley's culinary experiments. Appreciative sighs escaped the girl's mouths as their friend placed the plates in front of them.

"It's almost to pretty to eat" Angel commented before cutting into the tender pepper. All went quiet as they took the first bite.

"Oh my god Bradley" Kate was the first to break the silence. "This is amazing!"

"It is good" Angle added, "really really good!"

"Thank you. It is good isn't it" Bradley said with a quiet smile.

"I think this is it" Katie exclaimed after taking a few more bites.

"Me too now the question becomes when" Bradley said "And what should I wear?" the last got the girls giggling and offering to help him dig though his closet; the second bottle of wine became a celebration instead of a comfort.

Colin had had a long day, a very long day. They were shooting various scenes of him and Richard alone in Gaius's chambers. Doing the same scenes over and over until every word, every inflection, and every look was perfect. He didn't mind working this way, it was just rather tiring. He was made to run into the room, run back out of the room, up and down short stair cases, bumping into tables. Luckily it was on purpose so he made sure not to hurt himself. Half way through the day all he wanted to do was go home and sleep. After eating, he decided, he was starving. They were taking a quick break when his phone started ringing; looking at the screen he was happy to see a text from Bradley. He opened the message to find an invite for dinner which Colin just couldn't find it in himself to refuse. They hadn't seen a lot of each other as they were both shooting different scenes the last few days. It would be nice to sit and relax for a while before heading home, he thought, as he replied that he would be there. Colin found that the day hadn't been that bad now that he had something to look forward to.

Later that day Bradley was silently working himself into a snit as the time for Colin to arrive was slowing drawing near. What if Colin really didn't like him that way and just wanted to be friends? Was this going to make things weird? What if he didn't like the dinner, he wasn't allergic to anything else was he? Should he play music, light candles or would that be too much? Was he dressed ok, a green button up and khakis, should he wear the red shirt instead, the blue? Forcing himself to take a few deep breaths and calm down, Bradley decided that yes he was going to play music. No candles though, he decided, and as this was the fourth outfit he had put on he was keeping it. The food was all ready, the oven set to low, keeping the peppers warm. They would be replaced with the gratin as soon as they were served. The table was set; the wine was open but not poured, kept in an ice bucket to stay chilled. He was nervous, it was true, but if nothing else Colin would get a good meal, which he deserved. There was a knock at the door followed by the sounds of Colin in the entry way, taking off his shoes and calling his greetings.

"Hey Bradley" He called down the hallway "What was this about dinner then?"

"Its all ready if you would like to step into the kitchen." Bradley called back quickly plating up the peppers and placing the gratin in the oven before setting the timer. Colin entered the kitchen; Bradley didn't have a dinning room, and stopped and stared. First he looked at the food on the table, before turning his so very blue eyes on Bradley himself.

"Did you make all this?" Colin asked confused.

"Yes" was the answer.

"For me?"

"For you" Bradley nodded his head

"I. I mean. Well Thank you. But Why?" Colin started and stopped biting his lip and staring at Bradley "I mean don't get me wrong" he began to back peddle his hand fidgeting in the air "It, it looks wonderful, but what is this, because if it's what I want, then, but if its not, I don't-"

"What do you want this to be" Bradley cut in taking a few steps forward, coming within reaching distance of Colin.

"I" he stopped and became still, looking into Bradley's eyes as though searching for conformation of something. Bradley, not being able to take being this close to Colin and not touching him, closed the distance and gently placed his lips over the other mans. He was about to pull back when Colin's arms encircled his neck, pressing them closer together and deepening the kiss.

"I've wanted to do that for so long." Bradley admitted pressing his forehead to Colin's.

"I've wanted you to do that for so long." Colin said quietly. They stood there in each others arms until Colin's stomach rumbled breaking the moment. "Sorry" he said embarrassed.

"No worries, lets eat, cooking all of this has worked up my appetite." Bradley pulled out a chair for Colin explaining what every thing was and what was in it, mentioning the desert.

"I can't believe you cooked for me" Colin exclaimed happily "Except for mum no one had ever cooked for me."

"Really, no past boyfriends ever cooked for you?" Bradley asked tentatively.

"No, we would always just get take-out; it was too much of a hassle I guess." Colin admitted quickly, wanting to get off the topic of his exes.

"You'll never be too much of a hassle" Bradley said earning a wide grin form the man across from him.

"This is wonderful" Colon said after the first bite. As they ate their meal, Colin told little anecdotes about his day of filming to which Bradley listened contentedly, commenting now and them. After dinner Colin insisted on helping with the dishes, by the time that was done the desert was ready and they moved to the living room. Colin was even more impressed with the desert than the actually meal, saying over and over again how good it was. When they finished Colin asked how he had decided on what to eat and Bradley was forced to describe his other culinary failures.

"I can't believe you did all of this for me" Colin said in awe, surprise written plainly across his face. "I can't imagine the trouble you've been through. Thank you." Colin moved closer to Bradley on the couch, cuddling up against his side, Bradley swung an arm around him.

"It was no trouble, any thing for you Col." Bradley said quietly, embarrassed by how sappy he sounded. This earned him a smile and a warm kiss. They chatted some more and watched a television show they both liked. Soon Bradley looked down to find Colin asleep, his face relaxed making him look even younger than he actually was. Not wanting to wake the other man, Bradley gently picked him up and transferred him to his bed, taking off his shoes, and socks before maneuvering him under the covers. He was about to get an extra blanket and head back out in the living room to sleep on the couch when Colin called out to him, blinking though sleep filled eye.

"Stay?" The mumbled word sent warmth though Bradley and he nodded, getting under the covers pulling Colin, his Colin, into his arms. They both drifted into sleep with smiles on their faces, pressing into the warmth of each other's arms.


End file.
